TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Gene's in Carrot Bay

Not good.

There was a comment recently on a thread about boat part theft possibly relating to the Poker Run. I don't know. But robbery historically does pick up right before Festival (coming up next week). And Christmas. Be careful.

I hope everyone is ok at Gene's.

Wow, I was surprised to read this was the third time they had been robbed in a year???

Not sure if that's true; always take the comments with a grain of salt.

2nd time..how hard would it be for a cop car to cruise the length of Carrot Bay from dusk until " Gene's" closes? How hard would it be to " talk" to the known punks in the neighborhood..one who was a serious suspect in the first robbery..and probably this one? It's embarrassing, scary and sad for a couple who are working so hard..shameful, shameful, shame on the punks and shame on our police farce..One interesting side note, " First Lady" Lorna Smith has dined twice at "Gene's", recommended it on Facebook..wonder what would happen if she was there when the place was robbed??????

From an occasional Tortola visitor point of view, this is a problem. Not that I was blase about other crime there, but I was pretty sure I knew how to avoid it. I've never been in a situation like this, and I structure my life so as not to be in one.

This seems to be a new phase and one that's not likely to be acceptable to many visitors.

Just wondering, do you stay in a cocoon while you're there?

Until now, robberies of touristy restaurants/bars in normal (i.e. not near closing time) hours were fairly unknown. No cocoon was needed.

But hey, if staring down the wrong end of a gun and handing some guy your wallet works for you, have at it.

Big crowd at "Gene's" tonight..police were in the neighborhood..the last punk got away with $60 and was lucky he did not end up in the hospital..I think the message is out there..

Geez Ron -- I was at Gene's twice in June and didn't realize that I'd be staring down the wrong end of a gun -- but apparently you know better than I. Good luck in your future vacations

Good!! Gene's is a great spot with great food!!! Hope it all settles down.

I agree with RonP. I don't think he said in any way not to "live your life". Just don't be naive. Many years ago my wife and I were in Tortola for the first time during the festival. We went to Clem's By the Sea in Carrot Bay. The bar was full of locals and she went to the bathroom 20 feet from where I was sitting at the bar. When she didn't return for what seemed like an odd length of time I went to check on her. When I knocked on the door she screamed! I kicked the door in and a guy pushed his way past me. I grabbed his shirt and attempted to hold onto him but I was torn between holding him and checking on her. She was hysterical. He had followed her into the small bathroom and pinned her against the wall, groping and trying to kiss her. She was frozen in fear and only screamed when she heard me call her name. The guy ended up running away and was never caught. Police said 95% of the problems come from guys coming over from St. Thomas in small boats and he was likely long gone. They never even questioned a single person sitting at the bar. The guy had been in there for quite some time. Crime like that isn't random when it's widely predicted there will be an increase during the festival. No place is safe. For every victim there's someone that believes it will never happen to me or makes all sort of excuses because it never has. Changed the way I travel even anywhere including home.

Guess you picked good nights to be there.

I'm not talking about just Gene's. I'm talking about Tortola. This is where the "not good" comes in. When people in restaurants are robbed Pulp Fiction style at 10pm, that doesn't work for me. I can go lots of places on vacation, and it may be time to look for one where that doesn't happen. Or where it's equally likely to happen, but is easier or cheaper to get to.

Past violent crimes such as the payroll robbery in Roadtown or nefarious types knocking each other off, while sad, didn't affect a place and time I could well be. This does.

It changes my outlook, period. Not sure why it doesn't affect yours but that's not my business.

Statistically, the Caribbean as a whole is the murder capital of the world! Right up there with Iraq and Afghanistan! That's per capita speaking and much of that comes from Nassau, St. Kitts, Trinidad and Jamaica. BVI is safe as safe is but when it all is put in perspective it's the same as playing the lottery only you have a little say in the odds. The old saying is take the same precautions you would at home. Problem is most people don't take any at home and even less on vacation when you're relaxed and have your guard down. Common sense, be aware of your surroundings and limit risk. If going to a place like Gene's (which is great!) happens to be slightly more risky around festival time due to it being a mainly local joint, in Carrot Bay where a lot of the action takes place, and attracts outsiders from the US Virgins... then don't go! The trend is not going to go the other way. Crime statistics rise and fall but crime over all is probably going to increase for the foreseeable future. Look at the changes in Bermuda and Anguilla over the last 15 years. Absolutely shocking! BVI is still very low for crime. My theory has always been MTV! Once they stopped playing Duran Duran videos and morphed into the social influence, crap spewing media they are now, it had an impact on our youth and it's trickled down all the way to the islands.

You guys crack me up. Stay home in your rocking chairs and have a nice cup of tea.

There's a Sig .40 and a Jim Beam/coke next to my rocking chair. Can't type my arthritis is acting up.

Mock people all you want but when an economy depends on tourism, crap like this hurts a lot. It creates a spiral, more crime = fewer tourists = more crime.

According to a previous post, second robbery in recent weeks? I'm sorry but that is NOT conducive to having "tourists" visit an area. Roadtown after midnight is one thing but??

Sadly some believe this is exactly what the punks are hoping for..maybe a move, motivated by serious jealousy, to put Gene and Robin out of business..like making sure the gardener weed wacks and uses his 2 stroke blower when customers are there..not when the place is closed on Tuesdays..cops are looking at the son of a prominent family who may be behind this..But , of course, to stop going plays right into their hands,,

Keep going to Gene's. The restaurant is a Very Safe Place To Be. You are far more likely to experience harm flying long-haul compared with relaxing in this little haven of peace, tranquility and bonhomie. And BTW the food and service are AMAZING!

Perhaps you missed the part where it was said this place was robbed at gunpoint twice. That makes this Not A Very Safe Place To Be and more dangerous than flying long-haul. I am not saying people should avoid Gene's but don't pretend those incidents didn't happen.

Nope, I got the part about the two robberies and would never 'pretend' that they did not happen. On those occasions, no-one was hurt, nobody died. In my humble opinion, Gene's - and so many places in Tortola - are safe places to be. Re potential recurrence: see Manpot's post, also the Royal British Virgin Islands Police routinely patrols the area in question. Gun-toting robbers, mass murderers and high school shooters are, thankfully, rare in this country: I sincerely hope it will stay that way. Peace everyone.

Agree... Not just this incident is of concern. Following BVI news there have been more gun related incidents in the past month in this small country than in 2 years in my ( all be it Canadian) city of 20 times the population. No restaurants robbed here at gunpoint! Perhaps I was not looking but never saw this sort of thing 5-10 years ago. Distinct change. That said... Still seems good on the water except for odd fool in 'speedboats' and need of course to lock dinghy.

Actually there was a flurry of restaurant hold ups of owners and patrons 8-10 years ago on Tortola. It was quite scary at the time. I believe there were more police brought in from Britain to deal with that and some Roadtown muggings of tourists. It ended relatively quickly, likely because perps left the island or were incarcerated for something else.

perhaps 5-6 yrs ago, but who wants to start counting
and - not so sure it ended, much less quickly

Actually it was 8 - 10 years ago as Tamarind was robbed at gunpoint as well as the former Spaghetti Junction. Also several room break-ins in CGB.

Actually, it was the first half of 2007. Secret Garden first, then de Loose Mongoose in February, then Tamarind Club on Easter Sunday, then Spaghetti Junction (when it was at Beach Club Terrace). Possibly all the same perps. A couple of bad boys from Bellevue were convicted of the Spaghetti Junction crime and spent a few years up Balsams Ghut. The one at Tamarind was particularly bad because a group of 15 Puerto Ricans had just sat down for a late dinner, and a child was held with a gun to her head to encourage the group to hand over their wallets.

Hope to see some of you at " Gene's" tonight..we leave for Sonoma in the am and no one knows if " Gene's" will be there when we get back at the end of September...thanks to the landlord..

Again?

" Gene's" lease is up end of September..

Killing the goose that lays the Golden Egg...such short-sighted folly <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />

Let's figure this out now. I said "8 to 10 years ago". You said " actually it was the first half of 2007". This is 2016 so "8 -10 years" would be 2006 - 2008.

<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />

In looking at this, seems we're both right. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />